The Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF) has granted more than $625,000 to area for-impact organizations serving individuals, families, and communities most impacted by COVID-19. 
Hadley Streng is president of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation.
The GHACF extended a challenge to the community to raise an initial $150,000, which the foundation matched. 

Due to increasing needs, the GHACF doubled the original match and extended the campaign which raised more than $300,000 (totaling more than $600,000 with the Restoring Hope Challenge Match).

“We are extremely grateful to all those who generously contributed to the Community Relief and Recovery Fund,” says Hadley Streng, President at the GHACF. “The continued care and compassion exemplified by community members, fundholders, and area businesses has been inspiring. We are also equally grateful to our partner organizations, who continue to do all that they can to provide critically important services to individuals within our community during this time of increased need.”

Incredible demand

The foundation announced the grantmaking program from the relief fund on June 4. 

“Throughout the past three months, we have learned the intimate details of the incredible demand placed on all of our partners — but especially those working within education, health and human services, and economic and community betterment,” says Holly Cole, Vice President of Grants and Program.

“We are humbled by the generous philanthropy of our community and remain committed to supporting our for-impact partners in the process of recovery in the months ahead.”

At this time, the Community Relief and Recovery Fund has awarded grants to 29 organizations for their core operations, which will allow them to continue supporting our communities.

Grant recipients

The following grants were awarded from the Community Relief & Recovery Fund to support Northern Ottawa County:

Arbor Circle — $20,000 to support stabilization programming for families and
caregivers, specifically the Great Start to Quality Western Resource Center and Arbor
Circle foster families.

Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired — $5,000 to support organizational
operations and programming.

Bethany Christian Services — $20,000 to support mental health counseling efforts.

Children’s Advocacy Center — $18,000 to create new and accessible resources for teachers, parents, and children to continue body safety programming and education within the limitations created by COVID-19.

City of Grand Haven — Neighborhood Housing Services — $20,000 to support education and housing counseling services as a Department of Housing and Urban Development Local Housing Counseling Agency.

Community Access Line of the Lakeshore (Call 211) — $11,500 to support community outreach efforts and promote the MI Hope Portal, a database of mental health resources in Ottawa County.

Every Woman’s Place — $4,000 to continue their vital services for the community, especially during the increase of domestic violence cases during quarantine and COVID-19.

Four Pointes Center for Successful Aging — $25,000 to support the Home Care team that has been providing care to the vulnerable senior population.

Grand Haven Area Public Schools — $87,983 to support the purchase of educational materials and platforms to allow greater, more flexible access to learning.

Good Samaritan Ministries (Housing Assessment and Resource Agency of Ottawa County) — $25,000 to support the Community Housing Partnership program, which provides short-term financial assistance to families experiencing homelessness.

Hand2Hand — $5,000 to support the creation of nearly 10,000 weekend snack and breakfast-packs for youth.

Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes — Up to $10,000 toward virtual engagement of corporate and community volunteers and the development of digital learning opportunities.

Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates — $15,000 to support their Legal Services Program, which provides high-quality, affordable legal services.

Love In Action — $25,534.87 to purchase equipment to operate the Health and Dental Clinic safely and efficiently in response to the demands created by COVID-19, as well as updated food shelving and storage equipment for the Love In Action food distribution space due to increased food and nutrition needs within the community.

Little Red House — $17,052 to help staff develop, manufacture, and install unique table dividers to provide adult day care clients a healthy and safe environment for re-engagement.

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital — $15,000 toward the expansion of its telehealth services.

Momentum Center — $22,500 for mental health programming, which includes the Momentum Center, the Momentum Center Teen program, and community conversations.

Mosaic Counseling — $25,000 to support access to affordable mental health services and Programming.

North Ottawa Community Health System — $30,000 toward the purchase and installation of ultraviolet lights and air ionization units throughout the patient areas of North Ottawa Community Hospital and Heartwood Lodge.

Northwest Chamber of Commerce Foundation — $15,000 to support the business and education programming partnership within area schools.

Opportunity Thrive — $16,000 to provide access to Wellness Coaching for Educators.

Ottagan Addictions Recovery (OAR) — $25,000 toward the continued treatment, education, and support for those affected by addictions and co-occurring mental health concerns.

Ottawa Community Schools Network — Coopersville — $7,200 to help support students’ mental health, as well as their educational, nutritional, and immediate needs.

Outdoor Discovery Center Network — $50,000 toward the support of a partnership with the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District to help students, staff, and administration safely return to school this fall by utilizing outdoor spaces and educational techniques to provide safe, relevant, and engaging learning experiences.

R.E.A.D. Ottawa — $6,000 to sustain free, one-on-one tutoring to adults striving to strengthen their reading and language fluency.

Spring Lake Public Schools — $67,492 to secure one full-time social worker at Jeffers Elementary School and further support the district’s strategic development of Social Emotional Learning.

Talent 2025 — $5,000 to support continued operations of its programming, as well as collaborative, timely conversations among stakeholders across the 13-county region of West Michigan toward the ultimate goal of becoming a Top 20 employment market by the year 2025.

Tri-Cities Family YMCA — $25,000 to ensure summer programming operations continue — including children’s day camps, which provide a safe and meaningful space
for local youth.

Walden Green Montessori — $9,550 toward social, emotional, and mental health efforts, including providing staff and administration access to training in Trauma Informed School and incorporating mindfulness and Social Express programming for students.

‘Every gift matters’

“Given the current needs and anticipated increase in needs that our partner organizations are experiencing, we will continue fundraising and granting to partner organizations for the foreseeable future,” said Chris Riker, Vice President of Advancement and Donor Services.
Chris Riker is Vice President of Advancement and Donor Services at the GHACF.
To date, the Community Relief and Recovery Fund has received hundreds of contributions of all sizes, from $25 to $25,000. Riker adds, “Every gift matters. Every gift will help make an impact. Broad support from the community will continue to allow the foundation to support our partner organizations that are so critically important to our community.”

If you would like to help, you can still make an online donation to the Community Relief & Recovery Fund on the GHACF’s Donation Page. You may also mail a check (please include CR&R Fund in the memo line) to the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation at One South Harbor Drive, Grand Haven, MI 49417.

The Foundation is a public, charitable organization serving the Northwest Ottawa County community since 1971. GHACF is regularly recognized as a top 100 Community Foundation in the nation and is the eighth-largest community foundation in Michigan. It encourages philanthropy by individuals, families, corporations, and organizations, and serves as a steward of their charitable funds and legacies. 

In addition to awarding grants, the foundation offers technical support to nonprofits, convenes community leaders on issues of importance, and advocates for the nonprofit sector. The Allendale Community Foundation and Coopersville Area Community Foundation are affiliates of the GHACF. For more information, visit ghacf.org.